Love For Parathas in Delhi

Delhi is known for 3 things – being the capital city of the most diverse country in the world, its rich history & the food!Delhiites take their food seriously. They have streets like Chandni Chowk & Parathewali Gali that is dedicated to serving Delhi’s delicious dishes. They have food walks for breakfast & tea-time that goes hand-in-hand with sightseeing. 

Delhi is also the birthplace of Butter Chicken & chaat (tangy street food).From Chandni Chowk to Majnu ka Tilla, Delhi is replete with many culinary delights.If you ask a Delhiite what are two things that really stand out for them about the city, it would be the rich history and the mouth-watering food.If you haven't eaten the deep-fried golden Aloo Parathas from Gali Paranthe Wali in Old Delhi, then you have surely missed out the best Delhi has to offer! The list of parathas available here is endless -- aloo, besan, methi, nimbu-pudina, bhindi, gaajar, etc. You'll also find a banana paratha, which can be ordered as a dessert.

Aloo Paratha is an easy to make North Indian breakfast dish. This traditional breakfast recipe is perfect for weekend mornings and is a complete meal in itself, this paratha recipe tastes great when served with raita and pickle.

• Step 1
  To make this paratha recipe, boil the potatoes and mash them in a large bowl. In the potatoes, add chopped onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt, garam masala powder, chaat masala and mix well so that no lumps remain. Ensure that you have finely chopped the onions or the filling will come out.
• 
  Step 2
  Put wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Add water gradually and knead into a soft dough. Make small-medium balls of the dough and roll them out into 3 to 4 inch circles. Add a spoonful of potato filling in the centre. Gradually press the rolling pin on all sides while making the parathas. Be very careful to apply pressure evenly. It is very important to insure that your potato mixture is mashed well and not lumpy or you will never be able to make perfect parathas.
• 
  Step 3
  Seal the dough and round it with the your fingers. Now roll them with a rolling pin into round parathas. Apply the pressure very evenly and gently on all sides.
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  Step 4
  Press very lightly so that the mixture does not come out. Heat a girdle and roast the parathas, cooking them on both the sides with a spoonful of butter. If you want to use less butter on the parathas, first roast them on both the sides on low flame and when they are slightly crispy, apply butter with brush on both the sides.
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  Step 5
  Serve piping hot with chilled yoghurt or pickle. You can also serve the aloo parathas with green chutney or coconut chutney or a light gravy. Ideally a light potato shorba goes best with aloo ka paratha. You can also make a quick onion-tomato-green chilli raita that tastes amazing with this paratha.
  
  
  
  
  Delhi and Delhi-ites are known as much for their insatiable appetites as they are for the unending variety of food found in the city. Any cuisine, Indian or international, you name it, we have it. But what really captures the essence of the city is the street food that changes colour and taste but gets only better with discovering the city.
  
  
  
  Another factor which you need to take care of is- the time of eating Parathas (or any heavy meal for that matter). There is a reason Punjabi’s eat Parathas for breakfast folks! They are rich in carbs, giving your body the energy to stay put for the day ahead. If you consume this bulk load of energy after the noon time, you wont do any favours to your metabolism. So savour this delicious and healthy treat every now and then taking care of the above factors and you wont hear your appetite complaining!
  
  
  Paratha also known as a flatbread is the traditional staple of the Indian subcontinent. Parathas can be eaten as a breakfast dish, lunch or as a snack. It is delicious, mouth-watering and a healthy Indian homemade food.  For a healthy version of Paratha, switch to other flour options such as Ragi, Jowar, Bajra, rather than wheat flour.  Also, avoid stuffing your paratha with potatoes. You can use various vegetables along with Potatoes as stuffing.
  
  
  
  
  Paratha’s made of whole wheat and other flours are more nutritious as it contains Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6 and B9. Paratha prepared without oil or ghee is a good diet food as it has low calories and low fat value which helps in weight reduction. Parathas made of whole grains are easy to digest, prevents gallstones formation, helps to improve metabolic disorders and reduces the risk of cancer. 
  
  
  
  
  Parathas can be made healthier by adding oats, Soya, Chickpea and Ragi flour as this will enhance the fibre intake and nutritional value.The joy of eating those butter-laden parathas with curd and pickle is above all. Moreover, they taste all the more scrumptious during the chilly months. We're sure all of you would agree to that. Delhi is home to unique parathas that are loaded with unusual fillings. If you're bored of having those regular stuffed parathas and want to surprise your taste buds with something new and exciting then head to these places mentioned below and devour them with a piping hot cup of adrak wali chai.